Press Releases

Weber Statement on Bipartisan Budget Act

Washington, D.C. – Washington, D.C. – The House and Senate passed the Bipartisan Budget Act on Friday, February 9, 2018. Within the Bipartisan Budget Act are provisions to reverse the defense sequester, boost defense spending, provide disaster relief, and more. Congressman Randy Weber (R – Friendswood) released the following statement:

“In September 2017, the House sent all 12 appropriations bills to the Senate. In December 2017, we sent a third disaster relief supplemental to the Senate. We are now on yet another Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government.

“We have kicked this can down the road too many times, bringing us to today. Am I entirely pleased with this Bipartisan Budget Act? Far from it. I do not support lifting the debt ceiling, even temporarily. I do not support the massive increases in spending without offsets.

“Having said that, the inclusion of much-needed disaster relief, as well as the ability to provide appropriate funding to our military, defined my vote. I could not vote against this bill only to return home to a district where tens of thousands of families are still without livable homes, where small businesses are struggling, and where infrastructure is in dire need of repair.

“Unprecedented natural disasters devastated parts of our nation last year, and Texas 14 is ground zero for Harvey’s destruction. I am grateful we are finally sending relief to areas that have waited long enough. I am also pleased we reversed the defense sequester and are finally providing our military men and women the funding they so desperately need.

“For our district, and for our military, I voted in favor of a bill I never otherwise would support. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the months ahead to craft a budget that does a better job adhering to fiscal responsibility than the one we passed this morning.”

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The Bipartisan Budget Act
— Reverses the defense sequester and increases total defense funding to match with FY18 NDAA levels and the Administration’s request for FY19. Also increases non-defense levels and targets funding for priorities like NIH, opioids, and infrastructure.

— $700 billion in total defense funding, which includes $629 billion in base and $66 billion in OCO; $5 billion in emergency funding has been enacted for FY18; Consistent with the enacted FY18 NDAA.

Disaster Relief
— Provides almost $90 billion in Disaster Relief.

— Includes $15 billion in Disaster Mitigation Construction funding, giving long-term priority to projects within the Corps of Engineers which provide flood prevention and hazard mitigation.

— Includes $25 million for McKinney Vento provisions, allowing heavily-hit school districts like Dickinson to be eligible for reimbursement for their efforts to access homeless and displaced student populations.

— Authorizes $10 million for repairs to the Ready Reserve Fleet port facility in Beaumont.

— Allows the Federal Transit Authority (FTA) to distribute funds based on 2000 Census data for areas that temporarily fall below the 50,000-population threshold as a result of a major disaster, granting a significant fix for Galveston.

— Ensures religious institutions are eligible for reimbursements for their assistance during the crisis.